Pyrotechnic compositions are often employed at amusement parks in the form of colorful fireworks. Unfortunately, the burning of large quantities of such pyrotechnics can generate large amounts of smoke that depending upon the particular weather conditions, such as wind direction, wind speed and relative humidity, can block the view of subsequent fireworks or envelop audiences in clouds of smoke.
A fireworks projectile typically consists of two principal components, an initial burst and a main burst. Black powder is one of the oldest pyrotechnic propulsion agents and is typically used as the initial burst and the main burst. The main burst also includes smaller color producing pellets referred to as "stars". Igniting the stars during detonation of the main burst provides the light and color of a fireworks display. Among typical compositions for a red star have been: (1) potassium chlorate, strontium carbonate, charcoal, red gum (or shellac), and dextrin (or rice starch); (2) potassium perchlorate, strontium carbonate, charcoal, red gum (or shellac), dextrin (or rice starch) and polyvinyl chloride; or (3) strontium nitrate, red gum (or shellac), magnalium (an alloy of aluminum and magnesium) and Parlon.RTM. chlorinated rubber (C.sub.6 H.sub.6 Cl.sub.4).sub.n. Unfortunately, such typical compositions generate various quantities of smoke.
It is an object of this invention to provide a low smoke pyrotechnic composition, preferably an essentially smoke-free pyrotechnic composition.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a pyrotechnic composition including a high-nitrogen content, low-carbon content energetic material.